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Professor • Broadcaster • Musician • Cultural Historian
Scholarly Presentations
July, 2024, 2025 and 2026: American Indian Music Presentation for Woody Guthrie Festival,
Okemah, OK
February 27, 2023: Sand Springs Public Schools, Sand Springs, OK
Invited professional day keynote: Native American History of Oklahoma, Cultural Sensitivity,
and Artificial Intelligence
October, 2022: Americana Music Conference – Invited presentation on radio programming software
July, 2022: Invited Presentation on Muscogee (Creek) Hymns in conjunction with an exhibit of
Native American art at Living Arts in Tulsa, OK.
Feb. 28, 2021: Embracing the Dawn: Oklahoma Arts Council Statewide Conference
Invited presentation on Muscogee (Creek) Hymns
October 20, 2018: University of Oklahoma Book Fair, Oklahoma City, OK
Invited presentation to interview author David Grann about his book Killers of the Flower Moon: Osage
Murders and the Birth of the FBI.
April 12, 2018: Stillwater Public Library, Stillwater, OK
Invited presentation to interview author David Grann and Osage descendants of people profiled in
Killers of the Flower Moon: Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. See video here:
April 5, 2018: Native Crossroads Film Festival, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Invited presentation on documentary production in Indian Country.
September 27, 2017: Milam Lecture Series, Will Rogers Museum, Claremore, OK
Invited presentation on Will Rogers and Native Americans in the Movies
September 14, 2017: Americanafest, Nashville, TN
Invited panelist for “The All New & Improved Americana Radio Chart: A Look Behind the Curtain”
August 10, 2017: Native Spotlight Series at Circle Cinema, Tulsa, OK, moderator
April 27, 2017: Oklahoma History Conference Annual Meeting, Catoosa, OK
Invited presentation: American Indians in Popular Culture
April 25, 2017: Tillman County Historical Society Annual Meeting, Frederick, OK
Invited presentation on Oklahoma Music History
January 28, 2017: Let’s Talk About It Oklahoma lecture series, Enid Public Library, Enid, OK
Invited presentation: “Cowboy Life: Reconstructing and American Myth.”
September 26, 2016: Americanafest – The Americana Music Festival and Conference, Nashville, TN
Invited panelist: Americana Radio Airplay Chart Digital Monitoring
Invited moderator: Oklahoma Music Panel
August 27, 2016: Let’s Talk About It Oklahoma lecture series, Pioneer Woman Museum, Ponca City, OK
Invited presentation: “Cowboy Life: Reconstructing and American Myth.”
August 8, 2016: Inola Public Schools Diversity Lecture, Inola, OK
Invited presentation on Service and Leadership in American Indian Educational Settings
June 9, 2016: Society of American Indian Government Employees National Conference, Catoosa, OK
Invited presentation on American Indian Mascots.
April 2015: 2015 Oklahoma History Conference, Sulphur, OK
Invited presentation on land, wood, and water as themes in Oklahoma music.
April, 2015: University of Oklahoma School of Music, Norman, OK
Ruggles Native American Music Series, Invited Presentation: Muscogee (Creek) Hymns
April, 2015: Fulbright Visiting Scholar Enrichment Seminar, Tulsa, OK
Invited Presentation: “Traveling Songs: Music and the Land that Became Oklahoma.”
February 24, 2015: RSU Faculty Showcase Series, RSU Pryor Campus
Invited presentation: “From Powwows to Power Pop: An Oklahoma Music Survey.”
February, 21, 2015: Oklahoma Native American Students in Higher Education Conference
Invited speaker on American Indian mascots.
June 4, 2014: American Indian Chamber of Commerce, North Central Chapter
Invited speaker on contemporary issues impacting Indian Country.
April 18, 2014: PechaKucha, Tulsa, OK
Invited presentation on Oklahoma music.
Spring, 2014: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Oklahoma State University
Series of invited lectures on Oklahoma music history.
February 21, 2014: Oklahoma Native American Students in Higher Education Conference
Invited presentation on careers in Native American Studies.
January 18, 2014: Panel presentation after showing of Sterlin Harjo’s This May Be the Last Time
at Sundance Film Festival, Park City, Utah.
October 24, 2013: Fulbright Enrichment Seminar produced by Tulsa University & Tulsa Global Alliance
Invited presentation on multi-cultural roots of music in Oklahoma to 75 international Fulbright Scholars
October 21, 2013: Cherokee Strip Museum, Perry, OK
Invited presentation on music and culture of 19th century working cowboys; recorded for C-SPAN broadcast
October 11, 2013: Jacobson House Native Art Center, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Invited presentation and showing of original Kiowa music documentaries.
September 21, 2013: Ignite Tulsa, Tulsa, OK
Juried acceptance for five-minute, twenty-slide presentation on American Indian sports mascots
September 3, 2013: “Let’s Talk About It, Oklahoma” book series, Oklahoma State University Library
Invited presentation on James Welch’s Fool’s Crow as part of series on writers of the Great Plains
August 10, 2013: Ramona Theater, Frederick, OK
Invited presentation of narrative concert on Oklahoma’s roots music traditions.
July 27, 2013: General Tommy Franks Museum and Leadership Institute, Hobart, OK
Invited presentation on folk music of Oklahoma in support of New Harmonies Smithsonian Exhibit
July 1, 2013: General Tommy Franks Museum and Leadership Institute, Hobart, OK
Invited presentation on Kiowa musical traditions in support of New Harmonies Smithsonian Exhibit
April 11, 2013: Oklahoma Native Leadership Initiative, Pawnee Nation College, Pawnee, OK
Invited keynote address: “Ethics in Research and Educational Leadership in Indian Country.”
Spring, 2013: One Book, One Community Project, Stillwater Reads Woody Guthrie, Stillwater, OK
Consulting scholar for series of programs on Woody Guthrie; presented Bound for Glory (2/28/2013).
February 23, 2013: Oklahoma Native American Students in Higher Education Conference, Durant, OK
Invited presentation on “Careers in Native American Studies”
October 25, 2012: Pawnee Nation College 1st Annual Native Arts Festival, Pawnee, OK
Invited showing and discussion of original documentary, Instrumental Blessings (1st Place/film category)
September 17, 2012: Claremore Will Rogers Library, Claremore, OK
Invited presentation on Woody Guthrie’s 100th anniversary and general overview of Oklahoma music.
July 26, 2012: African-American Resource Center, Rudisill-Tulsa City County Library, Tulsa, OK
Invited presentation, “Afro-Indians in Oklahoma.”
April 20, 2012: American Indian Education Forum 2012, Bacone College, Muskogee, OK
Invited presentation: “Heuristic Methods: Discovery Through Research”
April 18, 2012: Oklahoma Historical Society Annual Meeting, Miami, OK
Invited presentation: “The Image of American Indians in Movies”
April 5, 2012: Multi-Cultural Librarianship Graduate Course, University of Oklahoma
Invited presentation on the American Indian mascot issue
March 26, 2012: Novel Talk, Tulsa Public Library, Tulsa, OK
Moderator for discussion of Louise Erdrich’s Love Medicine, with LeAnne Howe, Phillip Morgan, and Jacki Thompson Rand
March 10, 2012: 100th Anniversary Woody Guthrie Symposium, Tulsa University, Tulsa, OK
Invited lecture on the cultural environment of Woody Guthrie’s birthplace and childhood home, Okemah, OK
March 1, 2012: Sovereignty and Identity Symposium, University of Oklahoma College of Law
Invited panelist to discuss “The Role of Native American Studies in Sovereignty”
January 12, 2012: School of Library and Information Studies, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Invited presentation on American Indian imagery for graduate seminar in Multi-cultural Librarianship.
December 14, 2011: Stillwater Title VII Indian Education Family Night, Stillwater, OK
Invited presentation on American Indian history of Oklahoma.
November 1, 2011: “Let’s Talk About it Oklahoma,” Oklahoma State University Library, Stillwater, OK
Program scholar for presentation on N. Scott Momaday’s The Way to Rainy Mountain
October 30, 2011: “Let’s Talk About it Oklahoma,” Okeene Public Library, Okeene, OK
Program scholar for presentation on Woody Guthrie’s auto-biographical novel, Bound for Glory
March 1, 2011: “Let’s Talk About it Oklahoma,” Newkirk Public Library, Newkirk, OK
Program scholar for presentation on Chaim Potok’s The Chosen
February 28, 2011: State of Oklahoma’s Johnson-O’Malley Conference on Indian Education
Keynote Speaker: “American Indian Mascot Issue in Oklahoma”
November 2010: Appeared on Green Country Perspectives with Sam Jones on RSU-TV
to discuss history of Oklahoma music.
November 30, 2010: Invited presentation for Tulsa Corps of Engineers Diversity Training Workshops
“American Indian History of Tulsa and American Indian Mascots: Defining the Issues”
November 18, 2010: American Indian Symposium, Bacone College, Muskogee, OK
Presented original video documentary, Instrumental Blessings: Musical Instruments of the Native American Church.
November 16, 2010: Invited presentation on the American Indian History of Tulsa, Tulsa Public Library
September 9, 2010: Invited presentation on the music of Route 66 and performance of various songs,
Okeene, Oklahoma Golden Anniversary High School Reunion
June 2, 2010: Sovereignty Symposium XXIII, Oklahoma City, OK
Invited panelist: Native American Education and Sovereignty
December 10, 2008: Oklahoma Council for Indian Education, Tulsa, OK
Invited presentation on American Indian imagery in Oklahoma high school athletics at
November 16, 2008: Invited presentation at Tulsa Public Library on American Indian imagery in popular culture.
October 8, 2008: Leadership Tulsa, OSU Tulsa – Invited presentation on "History of American Indians in
Tulsa, OK". (This event repeats every spring and fall for Tulsa Leadership)
September 16, 2008: Newkirk Public Library, Newkirk, OK – Let’s Talk About It, Oklahoma
Invited presentation on Washington Irving's Tour on the Prairies sponsored by OK Humanities Council.
June 21, 2008: Oklahoma Folklife Festival - Helped coordinate the festival as president of the Oklahoma
Folklife Council; also shot and produced a 10-minute video of the festival for promotional purposes and
for follow-up grant packets.
May 24, 2008: Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame, Rentiesville, OK, Invited presenter of awards to inductees.
April 8 – 13, 2008: Madison, WI – Invited presentation to represent Oklahoma at Central States Speech
Teachers Association Convention with lecture on video presentation of “American Indian Mascots in
American Sports”.
March 27, 2008: Tulsa Public Library – Invited presentation on “Diversity of American Indian Music”.
February 5, 2008: Lincoln Academy Alternative High School, Stillwater, OK - Invited lecture on
“Diversity of American Indian Music.”
November 16, 2007: Invited lecture on Oklahoma Statehood Day: American Indian History of Oklahoma
from the Native American viewpoint, Tulsa Central Public Library, Tulsa, OK.
November 1, 2007: Presenter of Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame Inductions to Mae and Hoyt Axton, as well
as emcee for the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame Concert.
October 29, 2007: Invited presentation, Savage Country: American Indian Mascots in Oklahoma High
School Football - Lecture, slide show, and video presentation for graduate seminar for professional
librarians at Oklahoma University, Schusterman Center, Tulsa.
October 20, 2007: Presenter of Tulsa World Spot magazine Hall of Fame Award to Oklahoma bluesman,
DC Minner.
October 17, 2007: Panelist and moderator for "Beyond the Box: Alternative Careers in Music" at the
College Media Journal Convention in New York City.
September 27, 2007: Invited presentation, ""God's Traveling Songs: The History, Context, and Form of
Muscogee (Creek) Hymns, at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
September 15, 2007: Invited presentation, "Indian Mascots: To Maintain Tradition or Embrace Respectful
Change," for the Oklahoma Speech, Theatre, Communication Association at Southern Nazarene
University in Oklahoma City.
August, 2007: Guest on Rogers State University’s current events television program, Perspectives,
discussing the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame and Oklahoma music history.
April 17 - 22, 2007: Invited lecture, "God's Traveling Songs: The History, Context, and Form of Muscogee
(Creek) Hymns", at Yale University, New Haven, CT.
April 12, 2007: Invited lecture: Savage Country: American Indian Mascots in Oklahoma High School
Football - Lecture, slide show, and video presentation at Washington University, St. Louis, MO.
April 5, 2007: Invited presentation on Muscogee (Creek) Hymns at the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Tribal
College, Okmulgee, Oklahoma.
July, 2007: Guest on nationally syndicated television program, Oklahoma Horizons, discussing the history
of Oklahoma music.
March 27, 2007: Presentation at Oklahoma State University's Student Union Little Theater with Yale
University Music Professor and jazz musician, Willie Ruff, regarding the tradition of lined-out hymns
and specifically how they relate to the tradition of hymn singing among the Muscogee (Creeks).
March 13, 2007: Presentation and musical performance: "Music in the Grapes of Wrath" for The Big Read
at the Sheerar Museum in Stillwater, OK.
February 15, 2007: Southwest/Texas and National Popular Culture/American Culture Associations Joint
Conference, Albuquerque, NM. Presentation of the "The Case for an American Indian Sesame Street."
Abstract: With the availability of low-cost consumer digital editing capabilities, and very affordable
reproduction technology, producing video by those who may not have professional media experience is
more possible than ever. This presentation will demonstrate how a set of puppets, a basic script in a tribal
language, a digital camera, and computer editing software can provide the substance of educational
videos for pre-K Native American language instruction. As an example, a seven-minute Sauk language
video produced on a very low budget, Sauk Myeh (Sauk Road), will be shown and discussed
November 15, 2006, 6:30 p.m., Stillwater Public Library, Stillwater, OK. Program scholar for "Let's Talk
About It, Oklahoma" with discussion of Woody Guthrie's Bound for Glory. Co-sponsored by our friends
at the Oklahoma State University Library, the Stillwater Public Library, and the Oklahoma Humanities
Council.
October 10, 2006, 6:30 p.m. Newkirk Public Library, Newkirk, OK. Program scholar for "Let's Talk About
It, Oklahoma" with discussion of James Marquis's The Cherokee Strip. Co-sponsored by our friends at the
Oklahoma State University Library, the Stillwater Public Library, and the Oklahoma Humanities Council.
October 6, 2006, Bare Bones Script to Screen Film Festival, Tulsa Community College, Tulsa, OK
Invited panelist for discussion of independent film and video production in Oklahoma
April 6, 2006, 1st Annual Scissortail Writers Festival, East Central University, Ada, OK
Presented one-man show, “Knowing Oklahoma”, consisting of original songs, poems, and images.
April 14, 2005 Big XII Native American Leadership Conference, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Invited presenter of Savage Country: American Indian Mascots in Oklahoma High School Football
February 9, 2005 Southwest/Texas Popular Culture Association Annual Conference, Albuquerque, NM
Presented “Hummin’ on the Mother Road: The Music of Route 66”
November 17, 2004 Oklahoma Department of Libraries Oral History Workshop
Invited keynote speaker to discuss experiences recording oral history in Oklahoma
August 26, 2004 RSU Stratton Taylor Library Literary Review Series, Claremore, OK
Invited presentation and signing for Oklahoma Route 66 Music Guide and Oklahoma Music Guide.
April 15, 2004 32nd Symposium of the American Indian, Tahlequah, OK
Invited presentation on “American Indian Music as an Interdisciplinary Learning Tool”
February 4, 2004 Southwest/Texas Popular Culture Association Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX
Presented “The Ventures Are From Oklahoma?: What I Learned Writing the Oklahoma Music Guide”
July 17, 2003 Cherokee Nation Youth Leadership Camp, Fountainhead Resort, Eufalah, OK
Invited presenter of Savage Country: American Indian Mascots in Oklahoma High School Football
June 8, 2003 Tulsa Indian Coalition Against Racism Annual Banquet, Tulsa, OK
Invited presenter of Savage Country: American Indian Mascots in Oklahoma High School Football
April 18, 2003 31st Annual Symposium of the American Indian, Northeastern Oklahoma State University
Invited presenter of Savage Country: American Indian Mascots in Oklahoma High School Football
April, 2003 Greater Ossining Television (GO-TV), Ossining, New York
Savage Country: American Indian Mascots in Oklahoma High School Football aired four times.
March 27, 2003 Big 12 Native American Student Leadership Conference, Oklahoma State University
Invited presenter of Savage Country: American Indian Mascots in Oklahoma High School Football
February 28, 2003 Graduate Librarians Seminar, Oklahoma University, Tulsa, OK
Invited presenter of Savage Country: American Indian Mascots in Oklahoma High School Football
November 14, 2002 Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, Native American Heritage Week.
Invited presenter of Savage Country: American Indian Mascots in Oklahoma High School Football
October 12, 2002: Tulsa World's Spot Awards. Tulsa, OK.
Induction speech and reception of Hall of Fame Award for jazz guitarist Barney Kessel whose health
prevented him from attending the ceremony.
September 2002: Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference, sponsored by the United Methodist Church,
Lake Texoma, OK. Invited Presentation: Savage Country: American Indian Mascots in Oklahoma High
School Football - Lecture, slide show, and video presentation.
June 2002 American Indian Sovereignty Symposium, Oklahoma City, OK.
Panelist. “Preservation of Native American Languages and Culture.”
April 2002 Oklahoma Historical Society Annual Meeting, Lake Murray, OK. Invited Presentation:
“The Blues in Oklahoma: Origins, Significance and Contemporary Practitioners.”
April 2002 Delta Blues Symposium VIII: “The Sacred and the Secular.” Arkansas State University,
Jonesboro, AR. Presentation: “Echoes of Slavery and the Long Walk: Origins and Significance of
Contemporary Muscogee (Creek) Baptist Hymns.”
April 2002 Lean Seed Conference, San Jacinto College, Houston, TX. Poetry Reading.
February 2002. Southwest/Texas Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association Conference,
Albuquerque, NM. Presenting revised video of “Savage Country: American Indian Mascots in
Oklahoma High School Football” and a slide presentation, “From the Kiowa Agency to the Tipi Bar:
Contrasting Images of the American Indian in Anadarko, OK.”
November 2001. Invited presenter to the Greater Tulsa Indian Affairs Commission’s forum on Indian
Mascots. Central Library, Tulsa, OK.
October 2001 Rogers State University Faculty Creative Writing Reading.
October 2001 Emporia State University, Invited Lecture on Diversity Issues, “American Indian Mascots in
Oklahoma High School Football.”
March 2001. Southwest/Texas Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association Conference,
Albuquerque, NM. Multi-media presentation: “Savage Country: American Indian Imagery in
Oklahoma High School Football 2000.”
October 2000 Western Literature Association Writer’s Conference, Norman, OK
Poetry Reading.
March 2000 Southwest/Texas Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association Conference,
Albuquerque, NM. Multi-media presentation: “American Indian Imagery in Oklahoma: From
Authentic to Racist.”
November 1999. Oklahoma Landmark Conference on African-American History, Muskogee, OK
“Jazz from Muskogee, OK.”
October 1999. Presentation speech for jazz guitarist Barney Kessel’s induction in the Oklahoma Music
Hall of Fame Concert and Induction Ceremony.
1998 – Present: KOTV-Tulsa, KFOR-TV Oklahoma City, KTOW-TV Tulsa
Multiple appearances on behalf of the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame concert and induction ceremony.
March 1998. Annual Oklahoma Foundation for the Humanities Symposium. Rogers University-Tulsa.
“Sooner Roots of Current American Pop Music.”
September 1997 College Media Journal Convention, New York, NY.
Panelist. “Adult Album Alternative Radio: Where It Came From, Where It’s Going.”
April 1996 Delta Studies Symposium: The Blues II, Arkansas State University, AR
“Jay McShann: More Than Just the Man Who Gave Us Charlie Parker.”
January 1996 Texas Tech Univesity’s 29th Comparative Literature Symposium
“Football and the Poetry of James Wright.”
February 1995, December 1997, November 1998 Oklahoma State University Elder Hostel
“Rise and Fall of the Big Band Era: the 20s to the 50s.”
March 1994 Oklahoma State University Graduate Student Research Symposium
“From Memphis to Nirvana: 40 Years of Alternative Music (1954-1994)